Thailand travel guide: routes, costs and when to go

A two-week split: Bangkok for 3-4 days, Chiang Mai for 4 with a day out to Chiang Rai or Pai, then 5-6 days on the Andaman coast or the Gulf islands. Each move between regions is a 1.5-hour flight or a night on a train or bus. At our cost-guide rates, two weeks comes to about US$690 on a budget or US$1,110 mid-range, including roughly US$200 for flights.

Day-by-day plans: 3 days in Bangkok, 5 days in Chiang Mai, and the 2-week Southeast Asia itinerary, which starts in Thailand.

• Bangkok: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, the river and street food. Ayutthaya, the UNESCO-listed former capital, is about 90 minutes north by train; Kanchanaburi works as an overnight. Where to sleep: best Bangkok hotels under $100.
• Chiang Mai: Old City temples and lower prices than Bangkok, with Pai in the hills and Chiang Rai further north.
• Andaman coast: Phuket, with speedboats to Phi Phi in about 45 minutes, and the limestone bays around Krabi.
• Gulf coast: Koh Samui, plus Hua Hin and Pattaya, the mainland beach towns within road distance of Bangkok.

The budget figure covers a dorm bed (US$6-14), street food and 7-Eleven meals (US$5-10) and local buses, songthaews or the BTS (US$2-5), with most temples and markets free or cheap. Mid-range buys a 3-star or boutique hotel (US$18-35), restaurant meals, Grab rides and paid day tours or cooking classes. Bangkok and the islands cost the most; Chiang Mai and the northeast are noticeably cheaper.

Full breakdown: Thailand travel costs guide, and how Thailand compares with the rest of Southeast Asia.

The two coasts run on different calendars. The Andaman side (Phuket, Krabi) is dry from November to April and wet from May to October, while the Gulf islands get their heaviest rain from October to December. March and April are hot, around 34°C. In Chiang Mai the burning season, February to April, brings poor air quality, so November to January is the better window for the north. From May to September rain tends to come as afternoon downpours and hotels cost 30-50% less.

Month-by-month weather: best time to visit Thailand.

The exemption is for tourism only and can be extended once, by up to 30 days, at an immigration office for about 1,900 baht. Land-border entries on it are capped at two per calendar year, and you may be asked for an onward ticket and 10,000 baht in funds. Every visitor must complete the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online, up to 3 days before arrival. China, South Korea and several other countries enter under separate bilateral agreements; for a longer first stay, apply for a 60-day tourist visa on the Thai e-Visa portal.

Rules for every passport: visa requirements for Thailand.

• Overcharging: tuk-tuks around Khao San Road and Patong often quote several times the fair fare. Agree the price before you get in, or book through Grab.
• Rental deposits: jet-ski and motorbike renters may keep a passport against claimed damage; never hand yours over as a guarantee.
• Drinks: spiked drinks and methanol in contaminated alcohol have killed visitors. Keep your drink with you.
• Card skimming: use ATMs inside banks and cover your PIN.

Tourist Police: 1155. Police 191, ambulance 1669.

As of November 2026, AIS tourist plans run from 1 to 60 days, with unlimited data on everything from the 5-day plan up (the 15-day plan is 699 baht). Your passport is the identity document used to register the number. Under NBTC rules, a tourist SIM kept in use more than 60 days after activation needs an identity reconfirmation, which AIS handles by SMS or in its shops. Mobile data does real work here: Grab, maps and the TDAC confirmation all live on your phone.

• Suvarnabhumi (BKK): the Airport Rail Link runs from the basement to Phaya Thai for the BTS, stopping at Makkasan for the MRT. Public taxis leave from the level 1 stand and take 45-60 minutes or more, with expressway tolls on top. BMTA bus S1 runs to Sanam Luang for 60 baht (06.00-17.00).
• Don Mueang (DMK): a footbridge links the terminal to the SRT Red Line, which runs to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal for the MRT Blue Line.
• Bangkok to Chiang Mai: a 1.5-hour flight, or the overnight sleeper train from Krung Thep Aphiwat (900-1,400 baht in first or second class).
• Islands: Phuket airport (HKT) is 45-60 minutes from Patong; Koh Samui is reached by air, or by bus and ferry via Surat Thani.